Shaft rotation reversing device

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for substantially instantaneously reversing the direction of rotation of a shaft. A pair of drive members are freely rotated about the shaft and an interconnection assembly is mounted for rotation with the shaft between the drive members. The interconnection assembly includes a pin having opposed, tapered ends which engage mating recesses in the drive members. The pin is sufficiently long that, as it moves from one drive member to the other, one end enters a recess in one adjacent drive member before the other exits from a recess in the other drive member. The pin is reciprocated by a hydraulic cylinder and piston through a linkage which is reciprocated by the piston and rotates with the shaft.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,766,794

Wilcox Oct. 23, 1973 SHAFT ROTATION REVERSING DEVICE 75 Inventor: AlbertF. Wilcox, Yoder, 1nd. Geri Attorney-John M. Stoudt et a1.

[73] Assignee: General Electric Company,

Indianapolis, 1nd. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Dec. 17, 19 71 Appl. No.:209,183

A mechanism for substantially instantaneously reversing the direction ofrotation of a shaft. A pair of drive members are freely rotated aboutthe shaft and an interconnection assembly is mounted for rotation withthe shaft between the drive members. The interconnection assemblyincludes a pin having opposed, tapered ends which engage mating recessesin the drive members. The pin is sufficiently long that, as it movesfrom one drive member to the other, one end enters a recess in oneadjacent drive member before the other exits from a recess in the otherdrive member. The pin is reciprocated by a hydraulic cylinder and pistonthrough a linkage which is reciprocated by the piston and rotates withthe shaft.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 SHAFT ROTATION REVERSING DEVICE BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION It is often desired in various machines to reverse thedirection of rotation of some portion of the machine in an essentiallyinstantaneous manner, i.e., essentially without any lost motion. Forinstance, in various winding machines an arbor is rotated as a windinghead is moved longitudinally of the arbor for winding material about thearbor. It often is desirable to instantaneously reverse the winding headat each end of its stroke. In order to do this it is necessary toreverse the direction of rotation of the drive for the winding head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly it is an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved motion reversing mechanism.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a mechanism whichwill substantially simultaneously reverse the direction of rotation of ashaft.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide such a mechanismwhich is simple and rugged in construction and yet reliable inoperation.

In carrying out the invention, in one form thereof there is provided amotion reversing mechanism, including a rotatable output shaft. A firstdrive member is freely rotatable in a first direction about the outputshaft and a second drive member is freely rotatable in a seconddirection about the output shaft. Interconnection means is mounted forrotation with the output shaft, between the drive members, andselectively interconnects the output shaft with one of the drive membersfor rotating the .output shaft in a predetermined direction. Theinterconnection means is adapted to engage one of the drive members asit disengages from the other drive member so that the direction ofrotation of a the output shaft reverses substantially instantaneously.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The subject matter which I regard as myinvention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in theconcluding portion of the specification. The invention itself, however,together with further objects and advantagesthereof, may be betterunderstood by reference to the following description taken inconjunction DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawing there is illustrated various features of an exemplificationmotion reversing mechanism 10 which incorporates one embodiment of thepresent invention. Various components of the mechanism 10 are enclosedin and supported by a housing 11. The housing may include side walls12-15,

a bottom wall 16, and a top wall 17. Additionally flanges, 18 and 19 maybe attached to side walls such as 12, 14 for mounting the mechanism in amachine. An input shaft 20 is rotatably supported in a suitable openingin side wall 13 by means of a low friction bearing assembly 21. Bearing21 is supported about the shaft 20 so that the shaft may rotate withinthebearing while it is restrained from longitudinal movement by means ofa conical retainer 22,. which is threadily mounted on the shaft 20 andengages the bearing assembly 21. The input shaft 20 is rotated from asuitable power source (not shown) by means of a sprocket assembly 23which is mounted to rotate with the shaft 20. A drive chain for instancemay be connected between the sprocket assembly 23 and to the powersource so that, as the power source rotates, the input shaft 20 alsorotates.

A bevel gear 24 is mounted to rotate with the inner end of the driveshaft 20. A mating bevel gear 25 is securely mounted on an intermediateshaft 26 by any suitable means such as pin 27 to rotate with theintermediate shaft. The ends of intermediate shaft 26 are totatablysupported in the side walls 12, 14 by means of a pair of bearingassemblies 28 and 29. A gear assembly 30 is mounted on the shaft 26 torotate therewith by some means such as pin 31 for instance. Also, asprocket assembly 32 is mounted on the shaft 26 to rotate therewith.With this arrangement, as bevel gear 24 drives bevel gear 25, the gearassembly 30 and sprocket assembly 32 will rotate in the same directionwith the shaft 26.

An output shaft 35 is mounted between the walls 12, 14 in spacedrelationship to shaft 26 by means of bearing assemblies'36, 37. A firstdrive means, in the form of a gear assembly 38, is mounted on the shaft35. The gear assembly 38, by way of exemplification, includes a hub 39which is freely rotatablymounted about the shaft 35 by means of abearing such as 40 at each end of the hub. Additionally, thehub is heldin axial position on the shaft by means of a conical retainer 41 whichis threaded to the shaft and bears against the hub 39. The gear assembly38 also includes a gear 42 having teeth which mesh with the teeth ofgear 30 so that, as the gear 30 rotates with theshaft 26, gear assembly38 is rotated. t r

A second drive means, in the form of a sprocket assembly 43, is freelyrotatably mounted about shaft 35 by means of a suitable'bearing, notshown, and is held against axial movement by means of a conical retainer44 which is threaded on the shaft 35 and bears against the sprocketassembly. The sprocket assembly 43 is spaced from gear assembly '38 andincludes a sprocket wheel 45 which is in alignment with the sprocketwheel of assembly 32. The two sprocket wheels are connected by means ofa suitable chain 46.'Thus, when sprocket assembly 32 rotates with theshaft 26, sprocket-assembly 43 is rotated by chain 46. It will beunderstood that,

connection of sprocket assembly 43 with sprocket assembly 32 by means ofchain 46 causes sprocket assem-. bly 43 to rotate in the same directionas intermediate shaft 26 while the meshing of the gears ofgear assemsbly 30 and- 38 will cause gear assembly 38 to-rotate in a directionopposite to intermediate shaft 26.

An interconnection means or assembly 50 is positioned between the gearassembly 38 and the sprocket assembly 43 and is rotatable with the shaft35. In the exemplification mechanism the interconnection assemblyincludes a pair of side plates or members 51 and 52 which are connectedto the shaft 35by means of pin 53 that rotate with the shaft. The sideplates 51, 52 are firmly attached by screws or bolts 54". The shaft 35and plates 51, 52 define a slot or opening 61 which extendstransversally of the longitudinal axis'of shaft 35. The

shaft 35 also is provided with an axially extending internal slot oropening 62 which extends inwardly from the left end of the shaft (asseen in the FIGS.) into alignment with the slot 61. Additionally, sideplate 51 is provided with a slot or opening 55 which extends generallylongitudinally of the shaft 35 in alignment with the hub 39 of the gearassembly 38 and the hub 47 of sprocket assembly 43. The hub 39 isprovided with a number of tapered or conical recesses 56 which are inradial alignment with the slot in side plate 51. Similarly hub 47 isprovided with a plurality or conical openings 57 which also are inradial alignment with slot 55. The number of recesses 56 and 57 may bevaried depending on the number of times per revolution of the shaft 35it is desired to have the opportunity to reverse the direction androtation of the shaft.

A pin or pin assembly 58 is'received in the slot 55 of side plate 51 andincludes tapered or conical pin portions 59 and 60 which arecomplimentary in shape to the recesses 56 and 57 so as to fit snuglywithin the recesses. When the pin portion 60 engages one of the recesses57 in hub 47 the interconnection assembly 50, and thus the shaft 35 isoperatively connected to the sprocket assembly 43 and shaft 35 rotatesin one direction with a sprocket assembly 43. When pin portion 59 isreceived in one of the recesses 56 in hub 39, the interconnectionassembly 50 and thus the shaft 35 is operatively connected to the gearassembly 38 and the shaft 35 rotates in the other direction with thegear assembly. The pin or pin assembly 58 is made longer than the widthof side plate 51. Preferably pin 58 is of sufficient length that whenone of the pin portions 59, 60 is fully received in a correspondingrecess 56, 57, the other pin portion will just be within the side plate51 and will not interfere with the other of the assemblies 38,.43.

It will be understood that, with the mechanism as thus far described,the direction of rotation of shaft 35 may be reversed any time a recess56 and a recess 57 both come into alignment with the slot 55. Thereversal of the direction of rotation of the shaft 35 is accomplished bymvoing pin 58 longitudinally of the shaft 35 so as to change. from anengagement of pin portion 59 in a recess 56 to engagement of pin portion60 in a recess 57, or vice versa. It will be seen from FIG. 1 that, asthe pin 58 moves axially of the shaft one of the pin portions 59, 60will enter the associated recess 56, 57 before the other pin portionclears it associated recess. Thus at one moment the shaft 35 isconnected to one of the assemblies 38, 43 and at the next moment it isconnected to the other of assembly 38, 43. This causes the reversal ofdirection of rotation of the shaft 35 to be substantially instantaneous.

An actuation means or assembly. is provided for moving pin 58, andaxially of the shaft 35; which moves pin portions 59, 60 jointly. Thisactuation assembly includes a first arm 63 which is pivotally mounted toside plate 52 within slot 61 by means of a pin 64. The distal end 65 ofthe arm 63 is received within a slot or opening 66 in the pin 58. As thearm 63 is pivoted about pin 64 the distal end 65 will move the pin 58generally axially of the shaft 35. A second arm 70 is pivotally attachedto the arm 63 by means of a pin 71 and extends axially within the slot62. For ease of assembly the second arm 70 maybe in the form of a flator generally rectangular member connected to a generally cylindircal arm72 by means of a pin 73. The third or cylindircal arm 72 extends axiallyof the slot 54 and out of the shaft 35 and thru the bearing 37. Anadditional bearing assembly 74 is mounted to the distal end of the arm72. The bearing assembly 74 and its mounting to the arm 72 is such thatthe bearing assembly will move the arm 72 axially of the shaft 35 while,at the same time, allowing the arm 72 to rotate within the bearingassembly 74.

An actuator in the form of a reversible, fluid actuated cylinder 75 inthe exemplification, is mounted to the side wall 15. The piston 76 ofthe hydraulic cylinder is pivotally connected to an intermediate arm 78by a pin 77. The arm 78 is pivotally attached to a support bracket 79 bymeans of a pin 80 which is carried by the intermediate arm 78 and aelongated slot 81 in the bracket 79. The other end of the arm 78 isbifurcated to form a pair of fingers 82 and 83 which straddle thebearing assembly 74. Each of the fingers 82, 83 is operatively connectedto the bearing assembly 74 by means of bolts 84, 85 which extend thruthe fingers 82, 83 and are received in the bearing assembly 74.

With this mechanism, as the cylinder 75 is actuated from a suitablereservoir of fluid, the piston 76 is selectively extended or retracted.This causes the arm 78 to pivot about the pin 80 so as to move thebearing assembly 74 selectively toward or away from the side wall 14.This movement of the bearing 74 causes cylindrical arm 72 andrectangular arm 70 to move within the slot 62 in shaft 35. Arm 70 pivotsarm 63 about pin 64 so that the distal end 65 of the arm 63 moves thepin longitudinally of the shaft 35 so as to change the operativeconnection of the interconnection assembly 50 from one to the other ofthe drive assemblies 38, 43. This effectively instantaneously reversesthe direction of rotation'of the shaft 35.

Preferably the actuation of cylinder 75 will be controlled so as tooccur when the recess 56, 57 into which the pin portion 59, 60 is to beengaged is in alignment with the slot 55. Close control of this timingwill reduce the wear on the mechanism. However, it will be understoodthat with proper construction and selection of" materials to preventexcessive wear, cylinder 75 may be actuated at any time. Initiallyessentially no movement will occur as the distal end of pin portion 59or 60 will ride against the adjacent surface of hub 39, 47. When thenext recess 56, 57 comes into alignment with the pin portion 59, 60,depending on the direction in which cylinder 75 is tending to move thepin 58, the pin will snap from one of its extreme positions to its otherextreme position. This essentially instantaneously reverses thedirection and rotation of the shaft 35. The present invention has beendescribed by reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to beunderstood, however, that modifications may bem ade therein by thoseskilled in the art without actually departing from the true spirit andscope ,of the invention. What I claim is new and desire to secure byLetters Patent in the United States is:

1. A motion reversing mechanism, including: a. rotatable output means;b. first drive means rotatable in a first direction; c. second drivemeans rotatable in a second direction; and d. interconnection meansmeans and movable between a first position, operatively interconnectingsaid output means to said first drive means, and a second position,operarotatable with said outputtively interconnecting said output meansto said second drive means;

e. said interconnection means being adapted to move into operativeconnection with oneof said drive means as it moves out of operativeconnection with the other of said drive means for effectingsubstantially instantaneous reversal of the direction of rotation ofsaid output means.

2. A motion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein each ofsaid first and second drive means defines at least one recess therein;said interconnection means includes first and second pin portions forselective insertion into said-at least one recess in each of said firstand second drive means respectively; one of said pin portions entering acorresponding re cess before the other of said pin portions exits acorresponding recess as said interconnection means moves between itsfirst and second positions.

3. A motion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidrecesses and said pin portions are provided with mating tapers.

4. A motion reversing mechanism, including:

a. a rotatable output shaft;

b. a first drive member freely rotatable about output shaft in a firstdirection;

c. a second drive member freely rotatable about said output shaft in asecond direction; and

interconnection means mounted for rotation with said output shaftbetween said first and second drive members; said interconnection meansselectively interconnecting said output shaft with a predetermined oneof said drive members for rotating said output shaft with thepredetermined one of said drive members;

c. said interconnection means being adapted to engage one of said drivemembers as it disengages from the other of said drive members forsubstantially instantaneously reversing the direction of rotation ofsaid output shaft.

5. A motion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 4, furtherincluding:

a. rotary input means;

b. first transfer means operatively connecting said first drive memberto said input means for rotation in a first direction; and

c. second transfer means operatively connecting said c. said pinportions being spaced apart sufficiently that one of said pin portionsenters a corresponding recess in one of said drive members before theother of said pin portions exits from a corresponding recess in theother of said drive members.

7. A motion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 6, wherein; saidrecesses and said pin portions are provided with mating tapers.

8. A motion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 6, wherein? a.said interconnection means includes a support mounted for rotation withsaid output shaft;

b. said pin portions are mounted for joint reciprocating movement withinsaid support; and

c. actuation means is provided for said pin portions,

said actuation means being selectively energizable for reciprocatingsaid pin portions,

9. A motion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 7, wherein; afirst arm is mounted for pivotal movement within said support toreciprocate said pin portions; a second arm is connected to said firstarm and extends axially of said output shaft for pivoting said firstarm; and power means is connected to said second arm for moving saidsecond arm longitudinally of said output shaft while allowing rotationof said second arm with said output shaft.

1. A motion reversing mechanism, including: a. rotatable output means;b. first drive means rotatable in a first direction; c. second drivemeans rotatable in a second direction; and d. interconnection meansrotatable with said output means and movable between a first position,operatively interconnecting said output means to said first drive means,and a second position, operatively interconnecting said output means tosaid second drive means; e. said interconnection means being adapted tomove into operative connection with one of said drive means as it movesout of operative connection with the other of said drive means foreffecting substantially instantaneous reversal of the direction ofrotation of said output means.
 2. A motion reversing mechanism as setforth in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second drive meansdefines at least one recess therein; said interconnection means includesfirst and second pin portions for selective insertion into said at leastone recess in each of said first and second drive means respectively;one of said pin portions entering a corresponding recess before theother of said pin portions exits a corresponding recess as saidinterconnection means moves between its first and second positions.
 3. Amotion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein said recessesand said pin pOrtions are provided with mating tapers.
 4. A motionreversing mechanism, including: a. a rotatable output shaft; b. a firstdrive member freely rotatable about output shaft in a first direction;c. a second drive member freely rotatable about said output shaft in asecond direction; and d. interconnection means mounted for rotation withsaid output shaft between said first and second drive members; saidinterconnection means selectively interconnecting said output shaft witha predetermined one of said drive members for rotating said output shaftwith the predetermined one of said drive members; e. saidinterconnection means being adapted to engage one of said drive membersas it disengages from the other of said drive members for substantiallyinstantaneously reversing the direction of rotation of said outputshaft.
 5. A motion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 4, furtherincluding: a. rotary input means; b. first transfer means operativelyconnecting said first drive member to said input means for rotation in afirst direction; and c. second transfer means operatively connectingsaid second drive member to said input means for rotation in a seconddirection.
 6. A motion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 4,wherein: a. each of said drive members includes at least one recessdisposed toward said interconnection means; b. said interconnectionmeans includes opposed pin portions concurrently reciprocablelongitudinally of said output shaft for selective engagement in said atleast one recess in each of said drive members; c. said pin portionsbeing spaced apart sufficiently that one of said pin portions enters acorresponding recess in one of said drive members before the other ofsaid pin portions exits from a corresponding recess in the other of saiddrive members.
 7. A motion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 6,wherein; said recesses and said pin portions are provided with matingtapers.
 8. A motion reversing mechanism as set forth in claim 6,wherein: a. said interconnection means includes a support mounted forrotation with said output shaft; b. said pin portions are mounted forjoint reciprocating movement within said support; and c. actuation meansis provided for said pin portions, said actuation means beingselectively energizable for reciprocating said pin portions,
 9. A motionreversing mechanism as set forth in claim 7, wherein; a first arm ismounted for pivotal movement within said support to reciprocate said pinportions; a second arm is connected to said first arm and extendsaxially of said output shaft for pivoting said first arm; and powermeans is connected to said second arm for moving said second armlongitudinally of said output shaft while allowing rotation of saidsecond arm with said output shaft.